In These Castle Walls
by Fran Fiction
Summary: It's the final battle, the destined show down between Harry and Voldemort but Harry has nothing to fight for anymore. Trapped by the horrors of his past and unable to see a bright future, who can save him? Certainty not Salazar Slytherin, who seems to have a few too many demons of his own. Non DH compliant. Time travel. Dark themes.
1. The End

In the highest tower of Hogwarts school there were two men, who were both at odds with each other, they had just finished their decade old quarrel and had come to a form of agreement on the matter. One stood to the side all vainglorious and enshrouded in darkness, the other, however impolite it may seem, was upon the floor, not paying attention to his long known nemesis or life as it passed him by.

His patient eyes were closed in deep slumber and the ever present upturn of the left hand corner of his wizened mouth still indicated that a smile hid there. Weary lines carved deep into his face betrayed his age, the physical marks of his wisdom and eventual lassitude this, however, was tempered by the gentle laughter lines which curved outward from his eyes.

Half-moon spectacles lay haphazardly across his face as if he had fallen asleep whilst reading a book, his longs hair lovingly dishevel. His clothes were busy as usual, seemingly designed by people who just frankly had too much imagination, cheerful insects made their way happily across the fabric emitting a low buzzing sound as they went upon their business.

There he lay, the hard unforgiving flags of the floor embraced the body as it lay above them, greedily absorbing the fading heat and vitality: this was a place of death; it was also the place that moments later his lover and life long friend found him, albeit too late.

* * *

Near the side of Hogwarts, Harry and Ginny murmured among themselves, discussing their future. They lay together intertwined in the long grass near the bounds of the lake whilst the luminous moon looked down sadly upon their embrace. Ginny observed the hard plains of his body and the soft contrast of hers, their two natured hairs becoming one with the other turning a deep copper in the silver light. She found herself, in his embrace deeply centred in peace despite the horrors that had befallen them.

They relished their embrace, each finding comfort in the other. Looking across the lake they became entrapped in the serene illusion that had been cast upon them, they felt the warm scented breeze caressing their skin and saw the onyx black depths of the lake which highlighted the light green glow of the fireflies that danced across the surface: it was too peaceful.

"I wish Ron and Hermione were here to see this, they'd have loved it. I hope they have found peace where ever they are, they deserve it." Ginny sighed pain colouring her tone. Harry paused in playing with her crimson locks his face hardening and his heart panging in the worst of ways.

He didn't fully believe in the words he uttered next but his words comforted Ginny so they fell from his raw-bitten lips unchecked. "They died an honourable death protecting what they loved, no matter what the cost and gave us a hope for the future, there were no better people they died with defiance on their lips and pride in their chest-I am honoured to have been their friends." Harry grimaced at what he said, the lines seeming practiced, hollow and impersonal to his ears, next to him Ginny visibly relaxed.

The pain of his friends' death still haunted Harry, he believed himself not worthy of their friendship, it carved a deep wound in his soul and the pain was still fresh in his memory.

_Harsh panted breaths echoed around the maze that the trio had lead themselves into. Like rats in a trap they ran blindly from the enemy, a twelve foot snake. The abrasive tall stone hemmed them in; they were lost within the boundaries of the maze, awaiting death. The impervious, unyielding dirt floor gave no answers, it was fight or flight and they were running quickly out of both options. Poor visibility combined with disorientation got the three friends quickly lost and separated._

_Harry was blindly stumbling around and had scraped his elbows on the walls until blood ran down his arms, he fell over twice and had lost his glasses. Completely unaware of where he was and how far he could carry on till he last him self to the surrounding darkness he staggered on hoping only that Ron and Hermione had stuck together and that they were still alive, or even better back at Hogwarts, safe. _

_In answer to his thought a scream resounded from further in the maze. It split the air, rising in a crescendo that Harry knew would ring in his ears for years to come. He turned on his tail and straight toward the sound. The darkness engulfed him whole, like the maw of a wolf it welcomed him voraciously._

_Harry ran into a clearing, immediately he saw the mangled body of his best friend, he would have been beyond recognition if not for the mop of bright carroty hair that flared there mockingly still on top of the mangled being. Harry fell to his knee drawing in air, gasping like it was his last life line. _

_Hermione hovered over the body clutching it to her chest, her top quickly becoming soaked through with blood. Sobbing and kissing his face she wept for her lost love. Anguished screams ripped out of her, tearing through the air. As they pierced the atmosphere they lingered longer than they should as they were weighted with pure despair. The air tasted of death and misery rushed in on the winds. Not knowing how to comfort such a loss Harry hung back awkwardly, dealing with his own grief he refused to allow his self the luxury of breaking down and stood up making his way forwards to Hermione._

_He screams quieted and faded away to merely whimper rat his approach. As Harry put his hand consolingly down upon Hermione's shoulder she turned quickly, her face hardening the tears looking like pure ice as they glistened upon her sunken cheeks._

"_I'll kill it, I'll fucking murder it. Stone. Cold. Dead. Harry you try and stop me and I'll hurt you, this is about revenge,-it fucking played with him before it killed him. I will revenge my husband." She hissed like a woman possessed. With no warning she bolted running back into the maze, Harry quickly followed close behind._

_With reckless abandon Hermione flew through the maze, her hair trailing behind her coiling and writhing as if it had a life of it's own, corner after corner she took wildly seeking her prey. The snake and the human saw each other at the same time; they froze both ready to strike, circling like deranged beats do when vying for supremacy. _

_Under her breath, and without taking her eyes off the snake in front of her, Hermione magically froze Harry to the spot and then quietly said her goodbyes. _

_"Harry I must do this please understand, I love you but I can't live in a world without Ron it's just...just take care of yourself. Don't back down, with this I will give you the tools to win the war. Take care of Ginny, keep her safe, Ron would have wanted you to. I Love you."_

_Then she took her eyes off the snake and turned to look at him smiling her eyes already turned upwards, the snake hissed and lunged. "Displodio" she whispered. The snake wrapped itself around her, they shined red and gold for the briefest of seconds; then exploded. That was how the last horcrux was destroyed._

Snapping out of his reverie Harry decidedly put the memory to the back of his mind; there were other things to think about.

Feeling a sudden shift in the atmosphere Harry glanced about, his muscles tensing. An scream resounded from an upstairs window in the castle, the sheer grief and loss imbued within it made those privy to the sound pause and shiver, it then morphed from human to something more primal and instinctual; vibrating throughout the grounds and worming deep anxiety in those around.

After it died down, all hell promptly broke loose.

* * *

Upon seeing Dumbledore's cold and stiff body Minerva McGonagall took one last look turned upon her heel. Mid-turn she shifted into her cat form needing all the agility and reflexes that her other form could give her to escape from reality and first of all, Voldermort.

Walls and students loomed above her and behind her but she did not see them nor slow, there was only one event she could see now, it repeated and repeated, with single mindedness she took herself off, heading for the main office as fast as she could until she caved to grief.

As she came to the main office, she changed briefly back to human form, sounded the alarm and left her wand upon the desk. Then as her anguish crashed down around her she allowed animal instincts to take over, something that she had never permitted herself to do before and had abhorred the weak minded souls who had contemplated the same thing she herself was attempting.

In her mind Minerva McGonagall saw the threads of her cat form, her magical being and her human form twisted together like a double-helix running through her core, bright lights surrounded her cavern of inner-self; different colours alluding to different moods and memories. In the habit and clutch of despair she cut her human bonds; they shrivelled up and died within her core. Her being, unbalanced now, started to distort. Snaps and cracks could be heard as bones and ligaments were put under pressure; serrated yellowish claws grew from fingernails, sleek black thick hair covered every inch of its body and its mind caved way to instinct and power.

Its last human thought emerged in a terrifying scream that shook the castle to its foundation but the name it called was lost in the gurgle of terror. Now free of human shackles, its desires and worries were that of death which it wished to deliver as quickly and as messily as possible to any in its path. The perverted mix of half-man, half-cat creature took off, with killer intent.

* * *

On his feet and coiled for action Harry looked on in horror as Mordsmorde appeared in the sky, standing back to back Harry and Ginny looked ready to take any enemies. A second later rushing lights and cracks resounded all around the couple. Rushed at and lost in the masquerade Harry and Ginny were separated by the sea of Death Eaters. They jeered and pushed at Harry, but did nothing worse, becoming angered Harry threw some high level spells at them with the intention of harm. They absorbed the impact, all creating and upholding a shield that spanned the length of them. Anger quickly rising Harry threw harder and more violent spells at them edging slightly in to darker charms, yet no damage was caused and Harry had no power against their combined powers, helpless he began to grow weak.

The silver masks grinned asininely at him, tauntingly flickering in the flames that had started to burn Hogwarts. The flames reflected upon the water of the lake staining it the colour of blood. Tiring now Harry didn't see the foot that came at him aiming for his head; he fell to the ground with a sickening thump.

Through a gap in their ranks Harry saw Fenrir Greyback make for his next unaware prey, Ginny. All the blood raced to his head and Harry saw red with strength he did not know he possessed Harry threw himself at the barrier but neither magical nor physical strength could penetrate it. He watched as the love of his life, his intended, was mauled to death by a lunatic cannibal; his desperation knew no bounds as he threw himself at the barrier, shoulder now broken. But it was futile.

Moments later the Death eaters scattered as a monster threw itself at the human barrier, a cat creature ripped and chewed upon the Death Eaters in it way and bounded quickly around spreading carnage. Using this moment of distraction Harry ran to Ginny and knelt over her cooling body, he took his jacket off and covered her it becoming soaked in a matter of seconds.

Wiping the tears from his face Harry looked into the eyes of what had once been Professor McGonagall; both froze on instinct to see who'd jump first. Distracted Harry saw Fenrir running to the castle. He snarled.

The creature tensed and its hackles rose and it feeling the intense hatred and killer intent coming from its prey, it started to back away. Power was fuelled by emotion, and Harry was beyond pissed. Minerva, now as a being of instinct and impulsion knew that at that second it was out classed, with a whimper and a snarl it bounded away into the Forbidden Forest, its tail between its legs, where it stayed howling at the full moon.

Pursuing Fenrir up the steps and into the castle Harry followed him, all of his logic faded, yet no matter how fast Harry ran however he only seemed to be able to catch sight of his boots as he ran round the corner of his bloody grin. Turning and swerving corners, climbing stairs Harry sped on, following Fenrir up the astronomy tower. Catching sight of the corner of some fleeting material Harry ran into the room. He came face to face with Voldermort.

"Harry, have you come to visit me, how nice." Voldermort smiled mockingly, his pale flat face twisted lopsidedly into a poor imitation of a smile.

Harry spat, his voice held tightly and each syllable forced out between his teeth "Voldermort I think you realise that we are both past words, I hope you are prepared to die because I am. Of course it is said that neither can live while the other survives"

"How nice." Voldermort countered. Both fighters took their stances Voldermort's more defensive and Harry's purely offensive; they circled each other like jungle cats each looking for openings in their partners stand.

"Obstringere" Harry threw his most potent binding cure at Voldermort who took it in his own time and with inhuman flexibility he dodged it as it flew past him. Harry really stood no chance, then Voldermort advanced upon him and cast his favourite spell.

"Crucio" Voldermort kicked away Harry's wand and watched as Harry's body jerked, as if he were a puppet on a string, it arched upwards and Harry began to scream, Voldermort laughing all the while .Harry writhed beneath Voldermort biting his lip to silence himself until Voldermort grew bored. Soon Voldermort halted in his play to observe the broken, panting body beneath him.

"Poor pathetic Potter, how does it feel to be kneeling at my feet? Crucio!" he resumed the curse but increasing its potency. Harry screamed and one more the macabre sound filled Voldermort with bloodlust and pleasure; he threw his head back and cackled the manic sound creating a discord with the disquieting sobs which echoed through the castle halls. Whilst Voldermort was preoccupied with his own self enjoyment Harry hazily through his pain reached over to his own wand.

"Avis!" he screamed hoarsely, a large flock of white doves flew out of Harry's wand and flew straight at Voldermort, intending to escape out of the window behind him. Voldermort now distracted, he dropped the curse. Harry crouched under his flock, using them as cover as he moved.

"Incendere" Voldermort shouted, intending to burn away the pests.

"Sectumsempra" Harry shouted at the same time. Voldermort screeched, his features contorting as blood gushed from his leg. Harry advanced for another spell.

"Caecus" (1) Voldermort hissed, grinning with blood stained teeth. "Crucio! Tell me how it feels, Potter, to be blind and useless knowing that you've failed you family and friends. You may have wounded me but don't be disillusioned, it was nothing but a lucky shot. Here let me make sure such unplanned and dangerous accidents don't happen again, you're lucky you've got me left to take care of you." Voldermort picked up Harry's wand twirling it around his finger grinning sadistically at the boy who lay groaning at his feet, he crouched down and ran the tip of the wand over Harry's face and eyes. "A pointy stick like this can lead to nasty accidents, tut, tut, tut, we don't want that now do we." Grabbing the wood in his hands Voldermort straightened, snapped it and threw the pieces down. Harry screamed.

"After all this I still like you, strange, but in truth you are turning out to be quite an attractive man, I'll let you stay alive if you stay loyal to me and let me kill you friends. You don't need to worry about killing me either because I'll bind you with spells and old curses that I've already prepared, doesn't that sound nice? All you need to do is say the words." Voldermort looked leering down upon the twisted figure.

Harry gritted his teeth and spat his answer, "Go to hell."

"Hell? Hell would be a picnic to where you are going. Shame, of course I wasn't intending to keep you in the first place you were just a replacement for Ginerva, your girlfriend but seeing as you couldn't protect her and she was mauled to death I intended to use you as a replacement for her, such a useless boy." He grabbed Harry's hair and hauled him up by the roots, cupping Harry's face he turned the blinded boy towards him and said, "If you won't warm my bed and you couldn't even protect your pathetic girlfriend, what good are you?"

Harry boiled with rage; it raced from his very core and hummed under the surface of his skin. In his minds eye he saw more than he had ever seen; flashes of the Weasley family, Ron, Hermione, his parents, Dumbledore and Ginny tumbled around his unordered head their voices merged into one shout, one purpose. A cornucopia of colour exploded into his vision, a whole spectrum of colours unexplored before Harry knew that he was seeing the colours of magic. Slowly and with growing clarity Harry's vision came back to him, yet in a non-conventional way, he could see the colours that filled Voldermort's silhouette, they were dark and sometimes lighting strikes of death green could been seen in the tempest but not the body. As with the room, every thing was as clear as day but instead of features everything hummed and throbbed with their own colour and energy. Looking back at Voldermort Harry could see all of his magic flowing freely, and it centring around his heart.

Voldermort became puzzled as Harry suddenly grew transfixed and still, then the boy reached out and touched his chest; Voldermort felt a tug and then agony as his soul was ripped from his body.

Harry reached for the green lighting blots and grasped them in his hand, they burned but he didn't let go and he pulled. The lights disappeared and Voldermort became a cold uninteresting grey, both fell to the ground pulling himself up Harry knelt by Voldermort. Panting on the floor Harry cried, 'Is this the moment my whole life came to, I won everything I needed… but lost everything I wanted…'

"Why?" Harry shouted at the prone lifeless figure lying beneath him, "Why, why, why, why, why?" With a sob he dropped to the floor in front of his last reason for living. Grabbing on to the front of Voldermort's robes, beating at his chest. Blood stained his palms and mingled with that of his enemies, his tattered clothes became leaden down with blood.

"Why did you have to be such a prick, couldn't you just die at birth and then I would have been happy…" trailing off Harry could feel great magic approaching. Dawn started to break.

It swept across the sky line, a pink hue that seemed peaceful; the gentle shafts of light breaking the twilight that had choked the land previously. Birds silenced previously now began to chatter amongst themselves they darted out from their homes viewing the carnage that the battle had left behind, they saw the last looks of the defiant Death Eaters and Voldermort's brand, the Mordsmorde, disappear. Then as the sun began to rise a great cheer could be heard.

A beam of light illuminated the peoples' saviour as he kneeled on the floor clutching on to Voldermort's bloodied corpse, it passed over the dirtied knees, his one broken shoulder, bruised face and onto his crimson stained hands. Then it passed on to a locket that hung on a fragile chain round Voldermort's neck. The necklace seemed pure silver and had an enchanting design upon it, it pictured a snake with wings mid-flight and the way the creature fell formed an 'S' shape upon the locket. It was glowing gold, like a key to one of Gringott's vaults; it possessed a heavy dense feel as if it were weighed down by numerous magics.

The locket glinted now in the sunlight absorbing the light magic and making it clearer; Harry marvelled at the detail, clear to his new eyes, curiosity won over, he picked it up. It sat prettily in the blood upon Harry's hands, the magic intensifying, he became mesmerised and realised he couldn't look away. The snake upon the locket then began to move, coiling itself around Harry's finger it tasted the blood that lingered there, Voldermort's blood. Slithering back to the locket it settled down but not before it hissed "_**Accepted**_"

"Accepted what?" Harry shouted at the snake "_**Tell me!**_" he hissed. The locket ignored him and instead began to glow white hot. As panic and realisation set in Harry began to say "Oh crap, I probably shoul…" whatever else that should have been said then was lost as Harry disappeared in a swirling vortex of magic.

The room left behind was peaceful and nothing could be heard inside, a bird hopped in and glanced about all it could see was a dead human, it never see Harry Potter again and neither did anyone else. He was made into a legend, later on when people had forgotten about him he became a deterrent to naughty children and his statue at Hogsmeade was a great meeting place and for eating your sandwiches.

* * *

Harry screamed as he fell through a series of colours, bright lights sped passed him and if he touched one he would see a glimpse of the past, the present or sometimes even the future. The locket that he couldn't let go off sped him directly towards a particularly dark greenish light that itself was surrounded by dark shades of purple and blue, it pulsated with profound magics that drew Harry like a magnet. As he reached it the light expanded and swallowed him whole. The sensation, he would recall upon later date, was akin to diving into a pool of treacle, sticky and suffocating, it clung to him like a second skin and moulded him on whim.

He fell out the other side, and onto a bed, which already had someone on it.

* * *

The man had been minding his own business, reading a book when a young man fell out of a portal and landed upon his bed. The figure looked up from the mattress. A dirty young boy sat upon his lap looking dazed and confused. His clothes were torn and ripped and blood dripped off him in worrying quantities. It finally spoke.

"Hi I'm Harry Potter, nice to meet you." it said.

"Salazar Slytherin" he replied. "Now will you please get off me" To this Harry promptly fainted

* * *

(1) -latin word for blind, or to be blinded.

I am really sorry to the people that actually want to read this story, I was not happy with the first chapter, so I changed it, took me a while so sorry, hope that you appriciate the changes. The second chapter is being written! and should be uploaded this week. Sorry about the wait, I knew the beggining of the story, the end but not the middle; now this plot strop is over I can write. Many apologies and thanks, Fran Fiction. Ooh and I don't not own any rights to anything, Harry Potter is JK Rowlings creation.

Please Review, critical reviews are also very muchly accepted, ta x


	2. The Start of the Beginning

Harry had never been quite so cold in his life. The chill descended into his bones and penetrated the depths of his very soul. He felt like he was fighting his way to the surface of a deep lake, the water sluggish and half frozen around him. Gasping, he surfaced. A gray haze blinkered his vision, the world swam in and out of focus, and all meaning mixed together. Only one figure stood out in the haze.

"Where am I?" he croaked at a distant figure.

The figure suddenly grabbed his face crouching before him; _'Oh, no, not so distant_' Harry thought groggily.

"That does not matter for the time being," the sonorous voice replied, "stupefy".

Harry fell again and was claimed by the darkness.

* * *

Harry awoke to a deadening pain and numb hands. From what he could discern he was, at present, chained to the wall with his arms twisted behind him in the most unpleasant manner. Due to the awkward position of his arms Harry couldn't see what it was he was chained to but it was a damn sight uncomfortable.

His vision focusing, Harry glanced around while the teachings of Moody screamed through his consciousness; "Constant vigilance! He was in a large cavern hewn from the living rock by magic making everything light and clear to his new vision. The cavern was bright and seemed like a grand place for a ball, if you were so inclined. '_Or maybe a swim'_, Harry thought as he glanced down at two massive pools of crystal clear water that lay ahead of him on either side. Stretched out directly in front of him was a long well lit passage which carried on to the end of the cavern, the path lined with ferocious hissing serpents all polished in bronze and gold. Harry saw and stared it was like looking at a distant memory, fleeting and somehow connected to a different life, yet too ephemeral for his blurry mind to connect to any substantial moment in his life.

Disregarding the scenery Harry started pulling at his wrist bindings with an intense concentration determined to break loose, the cavern gave him a bad feeling. Within fifteen minutes in he was covered in sweat, panting and had nothing to show for it, except for slightly pinched wrists. Muttering obscenities under his breath and fully focused on his task Harry did not notice the approach of another being.

"Enjoying your stay Mr Potter?" a sarcastic voice drawled echoing out of the gloom.

Whirling around Harry picked out the presence of the man that seemed familiar, ah, the bed man…Harry blushed unconsciously. The figure dwarfed Harry's own casting a magical shadow over Harry's vision. The figure itself was a handsomely cut man with a profile to match. Harry himself was too dumb to respond entranced by the beautiful cascade of blue light green the wrestled around the man's body, his magic light and playful in contrast to the deep storm Harry had seen in Voldermort. Admittedly the display was alluring.

"Speechless too, I wonder have you forgotten me already. First I have some pressing questions" the man purred, his voice vibrating with deep resonant tones.

Harry looked up seemingly spellbound, "Eh?" he said.

"Have I been graced with a genius? Your mastery of and astounding vocabulary certainly suggests as such but for now I need you to be silent and attentive." The man whispered pointing his wand at Harry's heart. "Dolere."

With a cry of pain Harry arched off the ground, his heart contracting sending shock waves throughout his body down the end of all of his nerves.

"Ahh. Stop!" Harry cried as a moan of agony tore from his lips. "I'll tell you what you want, I have nothing to lose." he panted. The wizard yielded and gave Harry a moment's respite.

"In return for my answers could you answer some of my questions?" Harry gasped swallowing large gulps of air.

"Impudent and foolhardy, my, my, Gryffindor would like you. Very well, if I find that you answers satisfy me I will return the favour and graciously allow you to ask a question." The figure paused for dramatic effect and Harry had to resist the urge to roll his eyes.

"First question, what did you do with my final heir, Tom? Slytherin said all amusement now fled. Harry could only gape in response and numb feeling passing through him. He was so fucked. "Slytherin's heir, my heir; Tom Marvolo Riddle" he continued, "You came here via his stolen transportation device covered in his blood and then..."

"He's dead." Harry interrupted; looking up at Slytherin with defiance in his burning green eyes. "I killed him."

* * *

"He's dead."

Such simple words uttered with such finality.

Brief shock took me but as I saw the burning gaze of this child in front of me I knew the truth. A deceitfully innocent youth spouting the very words that I had dreaded to hear. Skimming my eyes over his broken and bruised body I mull over possible actions. Slow torture would be best, after the little upstart killed mine only heir and polluted our cause, schematics aside, every action has an effect.

"Very well", I stated after a while making the boy jump and glare up at me, "it was my plan to kill you but you have a debt to pay and a space to fill; you will be Tom's replacement."

"No" the boy whispered brokenly.

"No?" I echoed, "You have no choice, even if you could refuse, even if you had allies, by Wizarding Law you belong to me."

"No" he cried out stronger this time. "You can't, that's not fair, what, how…" he trailed off miserably, and from his pleading eyes a single tear fell, leaving tracks down his dirt stained cheeks. The boy looked half his age and so innocent. My stomach clenched with delirious anticipation.

I crouched down and held his strong chin in my hand, my nails biting into his skin, holding him, anchoring him to my presence. With my other hand I mockingly caressed his check, like a lover "You see, it is quite simple, I am the head of my line, my line is my responsibility all my ancestors and future descendants are linked by blood and magic, powerful magic. Do you follow?" Without waiting for a response I carried on, "You being the sole destroyer of my noble line owe me a debt, your life in exchange for the end of what's mine. Understand?"

"So it's a life debt of sorts." He said looking mildly confused.

"Yes, of sorts. Now this will only hurt a bit" I smiled gently at him. Placing my hand over his left eye I whispered "Sacrificio servo". The boy writhed and screamed in agony under my touch. Taking my hand away I was at once pleased with my work.

"That'll do nicely" I said to the unconscious boy.

* * *

"This is starting to get ridiculous" Harry muttered to himself waking up once again in an unfamiliar place, though albeit in a slightly better position than last. He felt clean and healed and only one of his arms was chained to the wall._ Practically five star service_, Harry thought bitterly. From what he could feel he was in a small circular room, window-less made from stone and only about six feet long across the diameter, just enough to lie across. There was no entrance that he could feel the room was unyielding, no sweet magic pulsed through, it was a void. All Harry could do was lie on the dry straw mattress and try not to die of boredom, the cold or hunger, Harry wasn't sure what might kill him off first. He sat on the thin straw mattress and tries to evaluate his current predicament, when that failed he began to list the possible benefits of being practically blind, not a minute later Harry decided to sleep if only to delay the rising panic which would threaten to engulf him.

It was the sound of stone rasping over stone that woke him. Looking towards the sound he could see the bricks that formed the doorway dancing on magical purple strings, like a master puppeteer controlled them. The purple magic thrummed from Slytherin as he stepped through, his own magics lighting up the room as the inanimate walls and floors soaked up his excess aura. To Harry it was like a breath of fresh air, he revelled in it. Outwardly he struggled to let nothing change and sat up gazing at the very inner soul of the man across from him.

"How are you, Pet" Slytherin cooed, his voice coloured with contempt.

"Bit parched, if I'm honest." Harry said flippantly giving him a quick and blinding smile to combat his condescension.

"Very well, you may have some refreshment" Slytherin replied silkily. "But first you have to say, please Master, only then." He said chidingly.

"Master," Harry started, and paused to take a breath, "go fuck yourself."

"Wrong answer." a deliciously smooth voice said in his ear, "Now scream for me, pet."

Harry screamed.

* * *

It was easily one of the most delicious sights Slytherin had even seen; Harry's young supple body bent backwards in agony, his spine curved as he arched off the ground. The simple clothing he had put Harry in frayed and ripped a tiny bit at the seams, stretching to accommodate the unnatural state. The boys beautiful eyes were huge and dilated, with his tears running into his hair line, spittle flying with every sound out of his plump lips. Slytherin watched disinterestedly as Harry's nails scraped along the ground breaking and splintering as the boy tried to gain some grounding. Slytherin smiled and released his power over the boy.

"You see Harry, it's quite simple, I own you." He said enunciating the last three words quite carefully. He watched as Harry lay gasping on the cold floor like a fish out of its element. "I own every part of you: past, present and future. Don't worry, I'll make you feel better all you have to do is give in. I can give you enormous pleasure or, I can torture you until you snap and become mad like a rabid dog." Slytherin purred and ran his fingers down Harry's wet cheeks.

Slytherin knelt above Harry held the smaller boy's face in his large and powerful hands and he leant down upon the blind boy putting just enough weight and pressure on the boy to make breathing uncomfortable. Slytherin leant close to his ear. "Did you know that rabid dog will rear back and break its own spine in its frenzy? Imagine the agony and the force needed to do that. When a dog becomes like that there is only one thing you can do; put it out of its misery. Don't push me, or I'll put you out of yours, Pet." Slytherin bent down to kiss Harry and left, promising to come back tomorrow with water and food, if he behaved.

Harry was awake when Slytherin came in next and he felt unsure and mentally unprepared.

"How are you today Harry, more contrite? Harry shivered as that hateful voice crept over him like slithering snakes.

"Yes." Harry said quietly.

"What was that?" Slytherin hissed quietly, lowly and dangerously.

"Yes…master." he said in even quieter tones, refusing to face in Slytherin's direction.

Slytherin made a contented sound, which Harry thought made him sound like pretentious twat, left a bucket with some heated water and a bowl of broth. It was the best broth Harry had ever tasted but the aftertaste was almost unbearable.

* * *

The scratching of the pen upon the desk filled the comfortable silence of the room; it accompanied the crackling of the large log fire which cast a glow over the opulent study. Large deep green curtains framed the bay window, hanging from the tall ceiling to the floor where the material pooled, the curtains remained undrawn against the night's chill. Dark wood furniture accentuated the expensive feeling of the room shining tone of red and rich browns in the light. The stone room was circular and had many doors, all closed. Each door was unique, one plain wood, another heavy stone; they all came in different sizes and shapes. They all however had a singular keyhole in the middle of the door and no door handle or knob of any description.

Slytherin was sitting at the desk in the middle of the room, facing the doors with his back to the window. A bunch of ornate keys all in different shapes and sizes hung off the belt tying his emerald robe together and they jangled as he untied his robe and slumped in his chair. He ran his hands through his salt and pepper hair- which the majority of was still pepper- and heaved a large sigh.

His eyes flicked up to a portrait hanging on the wall of a young handsome family. His own face sneered back from the canvas haughty and proud, his left arm curled round the slender waist of a smaller woman with a stern face but kind eyes, his right hand was placed upon the shoulders of a young boy in ceremonial; a broad toothy grin stretched across his youthful face emphasising the plump cheeks flushed with excitement a few strands of hair escaped from the immaculate hairstyle and fell into his green eyes- it was quite the poster for aristocratic familial bliss.

Slytherin couldn't even bare to have the portrait animated, he enjoyed the bittersweet pain of seeing his wife without her judgement or pity- the shameful joy of a Peeping Tom. He closed his eyes to allow himself a moment of respite.

"Slytherin!" Rowena Ravenclaw snapped sharply, flying into his room with poise and purpose her long dark long tempestuously shifting out behind her, "I really must protest, he has gone too far this time, too far. If you have a shred of responsibility or even honour to this foundation I really insist that something be done. I had a mind to expulse him myself; if it weren't for Godric saying that he was your mistake to deal with."

"Mistake?" Slytherin said standing, strong arms braced on the desk either side of his body and face half-obscured by shadow he murmured lowly and dangerously "Rowena, I assure you my son is no mistake…" Slytherin's eyes levelled with Rowena's. Moving round his desk with slow self-assured movement, muscle coiling and flowing smoothly so that every movement was edged with a fierce contained violence, he stopped in front of Rowena and drew himself up, towering over Rowena's petite form.

"Cut the theatrics and save it for the students," she bit venomously. "Your son put a student in the mediward, in a critical state for the sheer circumstance of his blood. If that wasn't a mistake then he is in serious trouble."

Slytherin sneered at Rowena but she refused to appear cowed before him, he bent his head, "Very well, I shall dole out a suitable punishment and the student shall be compensated, handsomely."

Rowena, finding his lack of care repellent, scoffed in return and turned decisively upon her heel, waving her hand in a careless manner at the door as it opened before her. She paused in the doorway. "See to it that you deal with this situation delicately Salazar, I will not tolerate anything which would impede any of our students in this school, this situation will be rectified or I will personally see to it myself, regardless of Godric or my remaining respect for you, that it is resolved."

Slytherin looked up at the portrait which had held his earlier attentions and then after a small contemplative paused moved round again to sit down at the desk, all the while gritting his jaw derisively. Running his fingers lovingly over the varnished desk, he stopped back turned to the doorway, "It's not nice to snoop, Gordic."

The man in question chucked lowly but with true humour, "You always spoil my fun, Sal. Why do you have to be such a mandrake in the mud?" A patch of wall shimmered and then faded to reveal a tall, almost brutishly sized man who had a kind face lined with laughter lines around a pair of mischievous blue eyes. Godric moved forward with great, ground eating steps and slapped Salazar harshly on the back, in what was meant to be a jovial way then grabbed his shoulder and pulled Salazar tight to him, and almost off the ground, in a brotherly embrace, laughing all the while. "It has been ages; my friend since I have seen her that mad, she's beautiful when she's angry is she not? Scary too I'd wager if I were on the receiving end."

Salazar detached himself from Godric's side and fixed him with a disapproving stare, "There is no wagering about it, Godric, you have irked Lady Ravenclaw enough times to know her ire by now. Not to mention how your wife would feel if she knew you were banding about your affection so freely."

Godric grinned, the smile so wide and carefree it almost split his face, "She knows at the end of the day that she's the only woman for me, not to mention her temper is more fearsome to behold than any of Rowena's tantrums, I would not risk my life or worse abstinence for any pretty face." By the end of his speech Godric had become quite ashen and his eyes darted round the room as if to chance upon some invisible agent of his wife's that might report any of his misgivings.

"Quite." Slytherin remarked. "What is the real reason you came to my office at such a late hour, Godric? I am not in the mood for receiving visitors, especially none as asinine as you."

Godric thrummed with curiosity, seemly unaffected by the insult, "I couldn't help but notice, at breakfast, that you have a new key for a new magical door and thus I came in here to see if you had indeed created a new one but I couldn't locate the portal . I had hoped to wait you out and watch you reveal the entrance to it but you discovered my presence before I had had any chance." Godric smiled sheepishly and rubbed the back of his head in a nervous gesture.

"The key is for a door I plan to yet create, which is why you have not yet found it. I always have informed you of my creations to date, why doubt me now?"

"Fine but you have been distant and secretive as of late, dear friend, have I been sidelined for a new project?"

"No, I had an study but it failed; I have a new one but I have little hope of completing it to fruition and am of yet to decide whether I wish to keep experimenting."

"Can I be of use?"

"Not this time, this is more of a personal experiment."

"I see." Godric muttered; bored now there was nothing he could sate his abundance of curiosity with. He turned to the door, "very well, see you at Dinner." Godric exited through the door and closed it behind him, rushing off to interfere with someone else.

Alone again Salazar locked the door and walked over to a bare patch of wall, where Godric had been disillusioned before, waving his hand and muttering in a low dark voice, he then inserted an old battered looking key into the bare wall, a low hollow sound filled the room and from elsewhere the distant sound of sliding bricks. Placing his naked palm on the wall and pushing against the solid substance it parted around him and he disappeared, leaving only wall again behind him.

* * *

To anyone still interested in reading this fic my gracious apologies. I am a most awful procrastinator, work shirker and chronic slob ever to grace this living planet. Please read and review, any critical comments are extremely helpful and will always be taken into account. I love hearing from you; feedback is one of writing's joys. Enjoy.


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